Fullerton Stumbles Late at Oregon State

Titans squander opportunity to upset Beavers

CORVALLIS, Ore. - The Cal State Fullerton men's basketball team had a chance to pull off a major upset at Oregon State on Friday night, but the Beavers used a late run to pull away for a 77-68 victory. The Titans (3-2) led by five points with just over four minutes remaining, but Oregon State (4-1) closed the game on a 13-3 run to earn the win.

Fullerton's Smith leads the way

Junior guard Kyle Smith led the Titans with 16 points, while senior forward Quincy Cooke added 15 points and seven rebounds. Oregon State was led by senior guard Jarmal Reid, who scored 18 points, and senior forward Warren Washington, who added 16 points and eight rebounds.

The Titans shot just 37.5% from the field, including 28.6% from three-point range, while Oregon State shot 45.7% from the field and 38.5% from three-point range. The Beavers also outrebounded the Titans 38-29.

Fullerton led by as many as seven points in the second half, but Oregon State slowly chipped away at the lead and eventually took the lead for good with just over four minutes remaining. The Titans had a chance to tie the game with a three-pointer with just over a minute remaining, but the shot was off the mark and Oregon State was able to close out the game at the free-throw line.

The loss was a disappointing one for the Titans, but they will have a chance to bounce back on Monday night when they host Cal Poly Pomona in their home opener.

What went wrong for Fullerton?

There were a number of factors that contributed to Fullerton's late collapse. First, the Titans simply did not shoot the ball well. They shot just 37.5% from the field and 28.6% from three-point range. Oregon State, on the other hand, shot 45.7% from the field and 38.5% from three-point range.

Second, Fullerton was outrebounded by Oregon State 38-29. This gave the Beavers multiple opportunities to get second-chance points. Third, Fullerton committed 15 turnovers, which led to 12 points for Oregon State.

What's next for Fullerton?

The Titans will have a chance to bounce back on Monday night when they host Cal Poly Pomona in their home opener. The Broncos are 2-3 on the season, but they are coming off a 77-68 win over UC Riverside on Friday night.

Fullerton will need to play much better if they want to beat Cal Poly Pomona. They will need to shoot the ball better, rebound better, and take care of the ball better. If they can do those things, they will have a good chance of winning their home opener.